One of Sony's main selling points for the PlayStation2 is its "backwards compatibility," its ability to play original PlayStation games. Many a concerned gamer has been curious as to how well the PS2 would perform this task, and now that the system has been released in Japan, gamers have been able to test this new feature first hand. To give you an idea of how the PlayStation2 will affect your favorite games, here is a list showing the performance levels of many Japanese PlayStation RPGs as played on the PS2:

Game:

Loading Speed:

Graphic Performance:

Chrono Trigger

faster

improved Mode 7 graphics

Chrono Cross

faster (menus only)

better graphics, less jagged polygons, character faces are clearer

Dew Prism

same

no polygon breakups, no broken lines within polygons

Final Fantasy 5

faster (menus only)

same

Final Fantasy 8

faster

improved textures, some pop-up problems

Front Mission 3

faster (menus only)

character details improved

Parasite Eve 2

slightly faster

textures slightly improved

Saga Frontier 2

same

black border around characters eliminated

Star Ocean: 2nd Story

same

characters and maps are more detailed

Tales of Phantasia

same

map screen is more detailed

Vagrant Story

faster (menus only)

fewer jagged polygons, improved textures and details

Valkyrie Profile

same

characters are more detailed

Xenogears

faster

better textures, improved feeling of 3D depth

As you can see, all of these games were in some way enhanced by the power of the PlayStation2, and only one game was affected adversely. Although these tests were done on Japanese PlayStation games using a Japanese PlayStation2, gamers should expect a similar performance on domestic titles when the system hits North America later this year. Stay tuned to RPGamer for all the upcoming revelations concerning the PlayStation2 as its North American release approaches.